MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2017 lifestyle MUSIC & MOVIES Israeli Arab Maysaloun Hamoud, director of the film ‘Bar Israeli Arab Maysaloun Hamoud, director of the film ‘Bar Israeli Arab Maysaloun Hamoud, director of the film "Bar Bahar", poses as she hugs a friend during an interview with AFP Bahar’, poses with a tattoo bearing the title of her film. Bahar’, speaks during an interview with AFP in Tel Aviv. in Tel Aviv. — AFP photos Alcohol, drugs and sexuality: Arab Israeli film faces backlash he culture clash in "Bar Bahar" starts off when Nur, a tions by leaving her religious fiance Wissam after he rapes grave," said one. "You need a bullet in the head and another in descended from Palestinians who remained on their land after veiled and conservative Muslim, moves into a flat with her, a scene shown on screen. the heart," a second read, Hamoud told AFP. Israel was established in 1948. Many identify as Palestinian but Ttwo other Arab Israeli women and sees their drug-tak- "For me as an artist, a director and a screenwriter who is a feel torn between identities-saying they experience discrimina- ing, party-going lives. But for its director, the real shock of the Death threats part of this society, it is my right to tackle any issue I feel is tion and racism living and working in major Israeli cities. "I'm film, which opened last month in Israel, has been the contro- The film has already been released in the United States, important enough for me to talk about," Hamoud said in a not exaggerating, every scene is realistic," Hammoud insisted. versy it has whipped up, even death threats on social media. under the title "In Between", and it won three prizes at the San cafe near where she lives in Jaffa, a predominantly Arab dis- Maysaloun Hamoud, herself an Arab, always hoped her first Sebastian Film Festival in Spain last year. US magazine Variety trict of Tel Aviv. "For the audience, if they want to see it they 'Contradictions' feature film would hit hard. In its two hours, the Galilee-born called it a "compelling" drama and The Hollywood Reporter are welcome and I will be very happy. But if you don't want to, Hamoud chose to set the film in Tel Aviv, regarded the filmmaker, 35, tackles almost all the taboos of Arab Israeli soci- trumpeted it as a "sparkling, taboo-breaking first feature". The don't go," she added. Her face is framed by short black hair most tolerant and liberal city in Israel, to make a point that ety: Drugs, alcohol, homosexuality. film company has not released ticket sale numbers but and she has tattooed arms, including one with the title of the even there racism against Arabs is prevalent. She wanted to Salma is rejected by her Christian family for being a les- Hamoud said there had been a lot of feedback, mostly posi- film in the colors of the Palestinian flag. Her film, she said, show the girls' "otherness" in the city. "They discover that no bian, while Leila leaves her boyfriend when she discovers tive but some less so. The response from Umm Al-Fahm has brings to the screen issues usually "hidden" among Arab matter how far they go from their towns and the traditions he is more conservative than he claims. But above all, been particularly sharp. The municipality issued a statement Israelis, such as lustful, youthful evenings where cannabis they came from, they are shocked that the place where they there is the story of Nur, a native of the conservative city of condemning a film as being "without the slightest element of smoke billows among dancers. are (Tel Aviv) doesn't accept them." Hamoud wants to make Umm Al-Fahm-a stronghold of the Islamic Movement, truth" and barring it from being screened there. Bar Bahar, literally meaning "land and sea" in Arabic, trans- films that help society "face its contradictions in order to close to the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood. They insisted, however, that they were happy to support lates as "neither here, nor there" in Hebrew. For its director it move forward". "No one should feel good after the movie, nei- Conservative, and initially shocked by the attitude of her "meaningful" art, but did not reply to a request for an inter- aims to be "the voice of a generation" of young Arab Israelis ther Israelis nor Palestinians in this society." — AFP roommates, Nur and the other two become friends and view. Hamoud as well as her actresses have received death who feel trapped between cultures. Making up around 18 per- allies. She ultimately rebels against her family and tradi- threats. "Those who speak ill of Umm Al-Fahm dig their own cent of Israel's population, the 1.4 million Arab Israelis are Syria's White Helmets to travel to US for Oscars escue workers from Syria's White Helmets- country's citizens have been forced to flee their the subjects of an Oscar-nominated docu- homes. "The documentary took a lot of effort to Rmentary-said on Saturday they have make and we've been working on it for a long received US visas to attend next week's presti- time. People who are featured in the film have gious Academy Awards ceremony. For weeks, since died. There's equipment that you see that the rescuers and the film's staff had been nerv- has been destroyed," Saleh said. ously watching the fallout from US President "This film is history for us. We hope that we Donald Trump's now-suspended travel ban for win the Oscar, because that would provide seven countries, including Syria. "We got our moral support to the White Helmets and show visas yesterday (Friday), but we're not yet sure if them that their sacrifices weren't for nothing." we'll be able to travel or not," Raed Saleh, leader According to the film's producer Joanna of the rescue group, told AFP by phone on Natasegara, Saleh will be joined by fellow White Saturday. "We don't want to have problems at Helmet Khaled Khatib, who shot much of the the borders or the airport," he said. footage. Natasegara told AFP by phone that the The documentary titled "The White Helmets", last few weeks had been a "roller coaster" ride. directed by Orlando von Einsiedel, was named a "Initially, we were totally delighted at the nomi- contender in late January in the Oscars short nation and invited them to join us, and two days documentary category. Since it emerged in later the executive order came through," she 2013, the rescue group has attracted over 3,000 said. Under Trump's short-lived executive order, volunteers and says it has saved more than travellers from seven mainly-Muslim countries, 78,000 lives. It is named for the distinctive white including Syria, were banned from travelling to hard hats worn by its volunteers and has gained the United States for 90 days. OSN unveils new prices and international renown for its daring rescues, often The travel ban has since been suspended in filmed and circulated on social media. The court, but Natasegara said she and the film's Oscars award ceremony will take place on team would "be nervous until (Saleh and Khatib) February 26 in Hollywood. are on US soil". "For us as filmmakers, we wanted new packs bringing exclusive "With so many people watching, it would be to be able to give them that platform," she said. such an important opportunity to talk about the "It's their day. Their message is one of hope and Syrian civil defense volunteers, known as the White suffering happening in Syria," Saleh said. More peace. We're just really excited to share that day Helmets, rescue a boy from rubble last year after a barrel than 310,000 people have died since Syria's con- with them." — AFP bomb attack on the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. — AFP entertainment for everyone flict erupted in March 2011, and over half the SN today reinforced its position Spanish broadband communication and as the region's leading entertain- entertainment company, and as Chief Brazil mega-church scores Oment network, launching new Financial Officer for Sky, Europe's lead- prices and new packs that will bring its ing entertainment company. unmatched breadth of world-class con- Since taking charge in August 2016, TV hit with biblical soaps tent to hundreds of thousands more Martin has prioritised the company's core subscribers. values of putting customers first, offering ebuchadnezzar II is about to be crowned native who cut his teeth at Globo. 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